The Basque Government has now afforded impetus to approximately ten projects within its plan for the promotion of the science industry

• The Basque Minister Bernabé Unda affirms that there are a large number of Basque companies for the construction of "a new sector of Science industries".
• The minister classified the ESS-Bilbao project as a "fundamental milestone" for the strengthening of this sector.

The Basque Government is preparing a new initiative within the Lidera Strategy, focused on the strengthening of the science industry. However, as an initial step, it has already afforded impetus to approximately ten projects, taking advantage of the impact of the project of the Spanish office of the European Spallation Source (ESS-Bilbao), as the Minister for Industry, Innovation, Trade and Tourism, Bernabé Unda, stated today in Parliament.

Mr Unda explained that the science industry is, as reflected in the draft of the new 2015 Science, Technology and Innovation Plan, one of "the markets in which scientific and technological development is to be focused". Therefore, the science industry has been included within one of the Lidera strategic initiatives of the Basque Ministry for Industry, Innovation, Trade and Tourism. "There are already a considerable number of Basque companies supplying components of a high technological level that form a sufficient critical mass on which to construct a new sector of science industries", Bernabé Unda stated.

The minister listed the projects that were afforded impetus in order to promote science industries. The most noteworthy relate to intervention in large scientific infrastructures, such a the four new contracts for the construction of cutting-edge neutron instruments in the ISIS Pulsed Neutron Source in the United Kingdom and the Laue-Langevin Institute in Grenoble, France, amounting to a total of 2.5 million euros. These projects entailed the creation of at least 25 direct jobs.

"It is also important, because such contracts, directly financed by funds from the United Kingdom, the Czech Republic and France, have been assigned in the context of rigorous international competition and within the current climate", Mr Unda explained.

He also added that, beyond large scientific infrastructures, the Lidera strategic initiative aims to optimise investment in equipment, to date implemented in biotechnologies, nanotechnologies and energy, strategies that are afforded the condition of priority areas within the 2015 Science, Technology and Innovation Plan.

This will include the CIC biomaGUNE Molecular Imaging facility in San Sebastian, which numbers amongst the singular Spanish scientific infrastructures. This CIC possesses an agreement with a company in order to produce radiopharmaceuticals that are used to treat cancer and Alzheimer's disease.

The CIC nanoGUNE, located in San Sebastián, has inaugurated its electronic microscope laboratory, with three new items of equipment supplied by the important North American company FEI, which "chose CIC nanoGUNE as a leading centre for the installation and demonstration of this equipment and which has signed an agreement for the joint development of five R&D projects".

Via the Biobasque strategy, the incorporation of machine-tool companies is being promoted, as suppliers of the biotechnology sector with interesting projects spearheaded by Etxetar, Danobat and Lazpiur.

In relation to the ESS project, the minister affirmed that it is being redesigned prior to its construction, insisting that "it is a fundamental milestone" in the Lidera initiative within the science industry. "Clear institutional implication exists, on our part, in the management bodies of the European Spallation Source project".

Bernabé Unda concluded that the strategy and resources are being afforded "to take advantage of the opportunity afforded by ESS and the remaining actions within the sphere of large scientific installations".


Vitoria-Gasteiz, 25th of November 2011